Let It Go
by Syntax001
Summary: Shortly after the events of Frozen, Elsa struggles with the drastic transition of her life. Reconnecting with Anna only brings back memories of guilt and loneliness. Determined to make everything right, Elsa searches for a way to clear her conscience and mend the relationship with her long-lost sister.
1. Hopeful Fantasy

**DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Let It Go  
by Syntax**

**Chapter One - Hopeful Fantasy**

The origins of the humble city-state of Arendelle has always been shrouded in mystery. The citizens know one thing for a fact: their people have lived there since the Great Ice Age, where all of the land was covered in a seemingly eternal winter. The rest of the story is up for speculation. An old myth says that the lands of Arendelle was the first sight of green that the nomadic ancestors of its inhabitants saw as they traveled south in search of a solace from the bitter cold. Upon finding this land, it was said that the snow succeeded back to the icy wastelands of the North, and eventually the seasons returned to its quarterly cycle.

Aren, the leader of the nomads, decided the land was fit for his people to thrive. The bay to the south and the woodland valley to the north would provide well for the future kingdom. To this, the people settled in the land, and named it in honor of their leader who braved them through the relentless ice.

This story, among many, tells of Arendelle's age-old relationship with winter and its unforgiving cold. Realistically, there are many reasons why the denizens of Arendelle despise winter. The bay would freeze over, halting all seaside trade and travel. Food supply depended on the stored harvest from autumn, as the frozen temperatures permitted no crops to thrive. Lumber production in the valley became much too dangerous, with hazards of avalanches and frostbite all too real. The only productivity would be a small ice-harvesting business in the north, but it would only prove that nobody wanted to buy ice in the winter.

* * *

As she remembered these bedtime stories and gazed over the castle balcony atop the kingdom of Arendelle, Elsa wondered if there could have been a way to make a peace between her gift and her citizens before things had gotten out of hand. If she could have found some way to show the people that her icy power could be used for good, she could have cleared their negative notions of winter and have prevented this past week's ordeal.

But, Elsa thought, what's done is done. She chose to hide her power to protect those around her. She considered it a curse, and obeyed her parents wishes to "conceal, don't feel." Some days came when she wanted to be free, to show the world what she could do. But all it took was one thought of that fateful night when she and her younger sister, Anna, had the accident. It sent shivers to Elsa. It was because of that one memory alone that Elsa kept her secret for so long.

Everyone knew now, including her sister. She was thankful that everything turned out okay in the end, but there were still some loose ends to fix. The people, for one. Though they seemed to have accepted Elsa's power, they are still in need of council. They wanted to know what their Queen's next move will be. And of course, there was Anna. Though her sister was more jubilant than ever, Elsa knew that the events of the past few days took a toll on her.

Anna, too, needed some closure.

Elsa sighed, breathing in the cool summer air. It was strange, just days before, Arendelle was covered in a blanket of ice, a result of Elsa's frightening outbreak. Now that all was well again, all she needed to do was console her subjects.

_Anna first._

She turned, leaving the balcony and stood in front of her bedroom door. Quickly, she composed her royal bearing. Before leaving, she looked at her hands. They were covered in light blue gloves that ran up her forearms. After thinking twice, Elsa slipped off the gloves and threw them on the floor. She gently pushed the door open, folded her hands in front of her, and walked out.

Almost immediately, Elsa was approached by one of the castle's servants, who seemed to be waiting for her outside the door.

"Queen Elsa," he said after taking a bow, "dinner is all prepared for in the dining hall." He didn't, or couldn't, look her in the eyes.

"Thank you, I will be right down," she said, trying to sound as warm as she could. It seemed to work as the servant looked up with a small smile.

"Shall I get Princess Anna?" he asked.

"It's okay, I will bring her down with me."

With a bow, the servant turned and left, walking back through the massive halls of the castle. Elsa went the opposite direction towards her sister's bedroom, which was in the same wing, not too far from her own. It wasn't long until she was before the bedroom door. Elsa had a peculiar feeling as she stood in front of it. It's been years since she's knocked on Anna's bedroom. With unnecessary apprehension, she gave the door three gentle knocks, slightly worried that she would not receive an answer.

_Is this how she felt every time she knocked on my door?_

To her relief, a response did not take long to come. Elsa heard the rustling of bedsheets and a small yawn, which made her smile.

"Olaf... go awaaayyyy," said a tired voice from within the room. "I told you, you're not allowed in my room. Your stupid snowcloud freezes _everything_ you walk over. We can play later."

Elsa laughed quietly before imitating the snowman's voice.

"_Oh, but Anna, you promised!"_

"I did no such thi- ...Elsa, is that you?"

This time, Elsa's laugh was audible as she switched voices once again.

"_No, it's Kristoff! I just came to tell you how much I love you and I want to ask your hand in marriage because I know you'll say yes even though we've met barely a wee-"_

"Elsa!" giggled Anna. Footsteps quickly approached the door, and with a click and twist of the knob, it swung open.

"Took you long enough," said Elsa with a smug look on her face.

"So, what's up?" asked Anna, dismissing Elsa's remark.

"Well, dinner is ready, so I thought we could walk down to the dining hall together."

Anna gasped.

"You mean the two of us? Eat dinner? At the same time? _Together_?" she said sarcastically, getting back at Elsa's earlier jokes. Though these had a darker history behind them. Elsa only then realized that she hadn't eaten dinner with Anna in ages. "Of course!" finished Anna. She smiled as she walked out of her bedroom, closing the door behind her. The two of them began down the hall.

"Hey, how do you know about that whole thing with Kristoff? Did he tell you he loves me?" Anna asked quickly.

"I don't know what you're talking about," laughed Elsa. "Why is it you want to know?"

"No reason. I'm just... curious. It _was_ just a joke, right?"

"Right," smiled Elsa. "Just a joke."

With that, Elsa continued down the hall, with Anna practically skipping beside her. In that moment, to Elsa, everything seemed like it was going to be all okay.

Or at least, she truly hoped so.

* * *

**A/N: Should I continue this? I made this first short chapter as a sort of "experiment" with my writing. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!**


	2. Thin Ice

**Chapter Two - Thin Ice**

Elsa sat at the one end of the table, slightly annoyed at the long design of the unnecessarily expensive piece of dining furniture. It was a beautiful table, indeed, but it was meant for large feasts, with guests lining down the row on both sides and the two hosts at both ends. But tonight, the dining hall was empty, save for two souls. The massive hall caused even the smallest noise to reverberate, so conversation between Anna and Elsa wasn't the problem. It was the distance between the two sisters that bothered Elsa. The dinner couldn't feel any more awkward and any less intimate for the elder sister. Anna, on the other hand, seemed nothing short of ecstatic about the dinner.

"What's on the menu? I'm starving!" beamed Anna. Her voice was the only source of sound in the hall, that and the occasional audible flicker of the fireplace which filled the large space with warm orange light.

"You know, I'm actually not quite sure. Would you like me to go and find out?"

"No, no, it's okay. I'll just wait and see," said Anna, returning back to her silent but gleeful state.

Silence reigned again, and Elsa wished she could share her sister's apparent enthusiasm. She knew this was going to happen sooner or later. She'd isolated herself from Anna for so long, that now, every time they spoke it was like talking to a stranger. Elsa would try her best to hide this fact, poking fun and making jokes with Anna on occasion. But the playful facade could only hide so much, and Elsa couldn't honestly say that she and Anna were close. Of course, even though the events of the past week broke the ultimate barrier between the two sisters and brought them closer than they've been in years, Elsa felt she wasn't truly reconnecting with Anna.

Elsa gazed at her sister across the table, who looked to be preoccupied with the several types of eating utensils placed before her. Elsa smiled to herself, not because Anna couldn't tell the difference between the dinner and the salad fork, but because her younger sister was perfect in her eyes. She was naive, but had a heart of gold. Elsa, on the other hand, felt that all she ever did to her sister was freeze that heart, and she almost did. Now that she had control and confidence over her power, Elsa hoped that she was no longer a potential danger to her sister. The platinum strand of hair was gone.

But try as she could, Elsa still couldn't forgive herself.

"What?" asked Anna, finally noticing Elsa staring blankly at her.

"Huh?" she replied stupidly, slowly returning back from her inner monologue.

"You were staring at me."

"Oh? Sorry, my mind was elsewhere for a moment." Elsa shifted in her seat and folded her hands on the table, quickly recovering back to her elegant composure. "So, this... _thing_ with you and Kristoff... I was right, wasn't I?" she said, quickly changing the subject.

"W-what do you mean?" stuttered Anna. "Kris and I don't have a '_thing'_."

"You have enough of a _'thing' _with him to give him a nickname," retorted Elsa. "Besides, I think _Kris_ is pretty cute, too." Anna tugged at her braids, her face slowly turning blush. "He's definitely way better than that other guy, Hans."

Anna laughed. "Yeah, I can't deny _that_."

"I might even approve a flash wedding with this one. Give you my royal blessing and everything."

"Oh, trust me Elsa, I won't make the same mistake this time," Anna said with a smile, though the blush on her face was still apparent.

"Yeah, you still can't be sure that Kristoff doesn't want to kill us and take over the kingdom," joked Elsa. "But really, Anna, I trust your judgement this time. Kristoff is more than just a nice guy, and you two are great together."

"Thank you. It really means a lot," said Anna sincerely. Elsa was very satisfied with the moment.

By now, Anna had forgotten about her anticipation for dinner, so she wasn't as thrilled when it was delivered to the table. The dinner was seafood, not exactly Anna's favorite, but she intended to enjoy it nevertheless. The clinking of utensils echoed in the hall as the two sisters began their meals, with the crackling of the fireplace as the only other sound accompanying them.

"This place is really boring," later said Anna, her obvious comment a result of the uncomfortable silence. "We ought to do something about it."

"What do you suppose?"

"Well... the fire, for one thing. It's a bit too _warm_ in here."

Anna's mischievous look sent a message clear to Elsa. Normally, Elsa would be completely against the idea. But, she was secure enough in her ability to control her power, so she smiled at Anna's suggestion. Elsa turned towards the large fireplace behind her, with Anna watching in apprehension. With a quick flick of the Snow Queen's wrist, an icy stream of air shot towards the fire. On contact, the magical ice spread through the fire and transformed it to a brilliant blue flame. The orange flickering light of the dining hall was replaced by icy hues of blue.

"It's beautiful!" cheered Anna.

Elsa smiled at her, not yet finished with her redecoration. The queen waved her hands and launched another blast towards the ceiling, this time it spread in a flurry of tiny snowflakes that fell softly towards the ground. More snowflakes formed to replace them, creating an indoor snowfall in the dining hall.

"Elsa, this is amazing!" said Anna. She looked down at her unfinished dinner. Snow already began to accumulate on her plate. "Well, my food's cold now." she got up from her chair and leaned forward towards her older sister. "Do you want to build a snowman?"

Elsa didn't have to think twice.

"Of course!" she said with enthusiasm she hadn't heard herself use in a long time.

Actually excited, Elsa got up from her chair and began a series of graceful movement with her arms, conjuring a snowman shape from the bed of snow that already covered the floor. Anna, delighted, joined in. She grabbed a plateful of foodstuffs from the table, and used them to finish the features of the snowman. The carrot nose was the only conventional thing on the finished product.

"Gives a whole new meaning to 'playing with your food', huh?" she joked as she thrusted a long loaf of bread through the snowman's body to make the right arm. "There! Done." She took a step back to admire her and Elsa's creation.

It was rather crude.

"Shall I bring him to life?" said Elsa, twirling magic snowdust with her fingers.

"Um... we probably shouldn't." Anna laughed. "This is really great," she continued, feeling the fresh snow with her palm. It was genuine snow, still light and fluffy. She grabbed a handful and eyed Elsa.

"What?" asked the older sister, just before getting a faceful of snowflakes. "Anna!" she complained as she wiped the snow from her face, which was met by only laughter. Looking to retaliate, Elsa gathered snow in her hands, rolling it to create a ball. Anna, suspecting this, ran away laughing. Elsa threw the snowball, but missed.

Elsa, now determined, conjured a snowball from the ground quickly, and tossed it towards Anna. Thinking fast, the younger sister deflected the snowball with a dinner plate.

"Hey! That's cheating!" giggled Anna. Elsa ignored her, throwing more snowballs, forcing Anna to retreat.

The dining hall was actually two stories high, the second of which was spread on the outer perimeter that formed balconies looking down towards the middle of the hall. Anna used the high hanging tapestries to climb to the otherwise inaccessible second level.

"Get down from there!" said Elsa, her snowball barrage no longer able to reach Anna.

"You started it." poked Anna, sitting on top of the barrier of the balcony.

"I did not!" Elsa crossed her arms and tapped her foot, pretending to look impatient.

"Okay, okay. Quick, catch me!"

Upon saying hearing her sister say those words, in a split second, a terrible memory flooded into Elsa's mind.

* * *

_Anna and Elsa slid down the tall snowbank inside the castle ballroom that Elsa made with just moments before. The two little girls laughed as they reached the bottom. Enthusiastically, Anna climbed back up the hill and called down to her older sister._

"_Catch me!" she called before fearlessly leaping off the steeper end._

_Quickly, Elsa threw her magic, creating a taller hill of snow for her sister to land on. Anna continued jumping, and Elsa played along, casting one hill after another, taking Anna higher and higher. Anna's jumps became faster after each one, and Elsa struggled to keep up._

"_Slow down!" she cried to Anna as she tried her best to catch her after each jump. She would not listen. Elsa slipped on her next shot, accidentally striking Anna in the head. She watched in horror as her little sister tumbled down the snowbank, unconscious._

"_Anna!" she yelled as she rushed over to her. A lock of hair turned white where Elsa's magic struck Anna. She had no idea what to do to help. She lost control of the magical ice around her, and terrifying black ice spikes grew throughout the ballroom. _

"_Mama! Papa!" she cried._

* * *

As quick as she could, Elsa gathered all the snow around her to form a cushion to where Anna was falling down to. Anna fell into the large pile of snow, her laughter can be heard muffled from within. She popped her head out.

"Like landing on a pillow!" she laughed. When she looked at her sister, however, Anna was taken aback at Elsa's angry expression. "What's the matter?"

"Why would you do that?" snapped Elsa.

"Do what?" said Anna, climbing out of the snow pile.

"You know _what_! You could have gotten hurt, Anna!"

Anna felt that the playful attitude was completely gone.

"Chill out, Elsa. I'm fine," she said, trying to disarm the situation.

"No, I will not _chill out_. You're reckless! You don't think before you do! Consequences mean nothing to you!"

"Elsa, I was just-"

"Just forget about it! This was my mistake." The magical fire was snuffed out, leaving the room dark and cold. "I should have never agreed to this."

Anna approached her sister, putting her hand on her shoulder.

"Elsa, you can't hurt me anymore. You have to stop constantly worrying about me."

Elsa sighed.

"Let's just go to bed now," she said, her voice now calmed to a quieter tone. Elsa turned to exit the dining hall.

"Well, let me go wit-"

"I want to be alone right now, Anna."

Elsa left the hall before Anna could say anything else, leaving her in the silent, still snow. Anna heard a door slam with an eerie echo that traveled throughout the castle.

"Elsa!" she cried out. "Y-you can't shut me out again!" She collapsed onto her knees, crying alone in the cold, dark hall.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you all for the positive reviews! I'll definitely finish this story now. I hope you guys liked this second chapter, too. Again, any feedback will be appreciated!**

**~Syntax**


	3. Nightfall

**Chapter 3 - Nightfall**

The royal castle of Arendelle was silent that night. Even the servants who called the castle their home knew something was wrong; they dared not to venture the halls until morning rose. And for a midsummer's night, everything seemed much too cold.

Queen Elsa paced in her bedroom, absolutely restless. Her entire room was frozen over, a bad habit she had hoped was already broken. But right now, her emotions were overpowering her will to control her power. _It's not getting better, _she thought as she walked back and forth, each step creating a small layer of ice on the floor.

_It's never going to get better._

It wasn't Anna's fault; Elsa knew this. It was never Anna's fault, but the younger sister had always paid for it. Even now, with her secret out and powers under considerable control, Elsa still felt the need to isolate herself. She felt that, no matter how beautiful her power can seem be, it would forever serve as a cold reminder of the physical and mental scars that she's forced upon Anna over the years. What's worse, she thought, is that now they had a second chance to fix their broken bond, but Elsa couldn't allow herself to get close to Anna.

All because Elsa couldn't let it go.

The young queen eventually grew tired of the pacing, and walked to the armchair in the corner of the room. She sunk into it, letting out a long, defeated sigh. As she sat there, she looked about her bedroom, icy and cold. A small snowflake fell softly from the ceiling. Elsa held out an open palm, catching the delicate ice crystal. It didn't melt; snow really never did in her hands. She gently blew at her hand, sending the frozen crystal floating away.

How can it be, Elsa thought, that something subjected to the inevitable forces of falling, in a futile defiance of gravity: act and look so free?

_Perhaps that little snowflake has much to teach me. And I have much to learn._

A free spirit such as Anna deserves so much more, Elsa thought. Even after years of failing to be a good sister to her, Anna never left her side. She was always on the other side of the door, always waiting for Elsa to emerge one day and say, "Yes, Anna, let's build a snowman."

_Anna never gave up. I can't either. How could I?_

Elsa's fear of harming her sister with her power had been instilled since the two of them were very small. Now, she thought, it was time to break that fear, once and for all, even if it takes one small step at a time. A pleasant dinner, a friendly walk, or even a warm hug. Whatever it takes.

_I can start with an apology. Right now, in fact._

It had been about an hour since their fight, Elsa thought. Anna may still be awake, so Elsa still had a chance to apologize so they can both go to sleep with a clear head. She took to her feet and exited her room, leaving the ice to slowly thaw in her absence.

The halls were quiet and dark as ever, with only the occasional oil lamp along the walls as a source of warmth, sight, and sound. Still, even in the dark, Elsa could easily navigate her home. Paintings of past royal families and individuals passed by Elsa as she walked through the hall. Starting with King Aren, the founder of Arendelle; King Erik and Queen Hanna; King Otto and Queen Sara; King Fredrik and Queen Lucia; and finally King Lukas and Queen Kaia with young Elsa and Anna at their side. _Don't worry Mama and Papa, I'll fix this, _she thought as she took a passing glance.

Elsa soon found herself before Anna's door once more. _Time for round two_, she thought.

"Anna? Are you awake?" she called through the door.

No answer.

"Listen," Elsa continued, "I want to apologize for what happened over at dinner. I overreacted, I know. I'm trying to make this work between us, Anna, I really am. It's just... sometimes my fears get the best of me, and I'm sorry." Still no reply. "I'm sorry for yelling at you. Could you please open up?"

Her request was met only by silence.

"Okay, fine," said Elsa. "You're upset, I understand. But I'm not leaving this door until you open it."

Elsa leaned against the door, gasping when the door gave way to her weight and swung open. She stumbled, and swung her arms in an attempt to regain balance.

"Whoa! Sorry, Anna!" she whispered. "I didn't know the door was..." she broke off her sentence, only then realizing the room was empty. "...open."

Elsa looked around the room for her little sister. The bed was empty and still made. There was no sign of her anywhere.

"Anna? Are you in here?"

Again, only silence.

_Maybe she's elsewhere in the castle, _Elsa thought. She left the room, scanning it once more in case Anna was playing one of her little tricks. This time, she was disappointed it was not the case. Elsa left the room back into the lonely hallway, not exactly sure where her sister was, and for some reason, not entirely certain she would find her. Nevertheless, she was determined to find her and apologize while the night was still young.

She searched the ballroom first, believing it was the most likely other place Anna would be. As Elsa stepped through the giant room, she caught glimpses of her past, both distant and recent. This was where she hurt Anna when they were little. And many years later, this was where she accidentally lost control of her powers, revealing herself to everyone, causing her worst fears to come true.

Needless to say, Elsa hated the ballroom.

When she found that her sister wasn't there, she moved on to the dining hall, still covered in a layer of snow. She searched the kitchen, the library, the court hall, the servant's quarters, the throne room, and even the dungeon, but each was devoid of her little sister. By then, it had almost been another hour since Elsa began her search, and she was worried. She walked down the stairs of the reception hall and opened the large castle doors, stepping out to the castle's courtyard.

The warmth from the summer's daytime had long since faded, and the air was crisp and windy. Apart from the several guards patrolling the castle's walls, the courtyard had no sign of Anna.

Elsa was more than worried now, and almost didn't notice that she had almost bumped into one of the patrolling guards.

"Good evening, your Majesty," he said as he stepped deftly aside, avoiding collision with the preoccupied queen.

"Good evening," she returned politely, remembering her royal bearing. The guard performed a weapon salute and turned on his heel, returning to his patrol. Elsa didn't leave, however.

"Hold on," she called to the guard. Quickly, he returned to her.

"Yes, my Queen?" he said, standing at attention.

"Tell me, sir, have the castle's gates been opened at all tonight?"

The guard hesitated.

"No, your Highness. They have not."

Elsa shot an icy stare at the guard, suspicious of the fib. Remembering the events of the past week, he was easily intimidated by her.

"Are you lying to me?" she asked, keeping her pleasant voice.

"N-no, your Majesty."

"Lying to your queen can be considered treason, sir," Elsa pointed out.

The guard was clearly conflicted. Elsa kept her gaze.

"Your Highness, regardless of what I say next, I'll be sent to the dungeon," he said, almost complaining.

"Under whose authority?" she asked.

"Well... yours, and Princess Anna's."

"You've seen my sister? Tell me where, and I promise there will be no consequence," said Elsa, desperate for the information.

"Erm... Princess Anna left the castle earlier, demanding the gates be opened." He paused. "She told me that if you were made aware of this, she would hold me personally responsible. Queen Elsa, I wasn't sure who I was to lis-"

"How long ago?"

"I'd say about two hours ago. My queen, when she gets back, surely you can explain to Princess Anna that I-"

"Open the castle gates," Elsa said quickly.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Open the gates. And get me my horse. I'm going to look for her."

The guard gestured to one of the others who was listening nearby. The other guard quickly left to perform the tasks. Elsa began walking toward the gates, and the guard followed behind her.

"Did Anna say where she was going?" Elsa asked.

"No, but reports from the guard tower says that she was headed north," the guard answered. "Your Highness, do you have reason to believe Princess Anna is in danger?"

"No, but I'm going to find her before I do."

"Do you require an escort? I'd be happy to accompany-"

"No, thank you," she said. "I want to go alone."

"Very well, your Highness."

As they stood before the gates, the loud sound of gears turning filled the courtyard, and the large barrier slowly opened. The other guard arrived with Elsa's horse, and she mounted it, waiting for the gates to finish opening.

"Thank you," she said to the first guard, who had an obvious intent to follow her. "I appreciate your concern, but this is something I have to do alone. If either of us are not back by dawn, you may send a search party. Until then, I leave you in charge."

As quickly as she gave the instructions, she snapped the reins and rode out the gates.

"Yes, your Majesty," said the guard as he watched Elsa ride away. She disappeared into the night, and the galloping of of horseshoes faded soon after that.

"I swear, this family is going to be the death of me," sighed the guard, returning to his post.

* * *

Elsa rode into the night, keeping her horse at a brisk gallop in order to make up for lost time. At Arendelle's center was a crossroads; the street she came from led to the castle, another to the docks of the fjord, and another towards the mountains of the north. This was the route Anna took, and Elsa followed it. Quickly, she passed quiet houses, sleeping businesses, and lonely lanterns. She soon hit the Arendelle's outskirts, as dirt and trees replaced houses and cobblestone.

The moon could be seen in the clear night, slowly moving towards the center of the sky. It was only a couple hours until midnight, Elsa thought. She had until dawn to find her sister, and hope that nothing's happened to her until then.

_I'm coming, Anna._

* * *

**A/N: I am SO sorry, guys! This past week has been absolutely crazy with finals and everything, so this was all I managed to pull out of me from the seven days of no updates. I know it's boring plot-stuff, but it'll get better once finals are over and I can focus on my writing. Hope you enjoyed the chapter, nevertheless, and thank you for all of your support! I can't say when I'll update next, but I'm planning it will be within a week.**

**Oh, and can anybody catch my reference I made to Elsa's voice actress and broadway singer, Idina Menzel? Brownie points to whoever that does. ^_^**


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